Retainer mechanism for quick disconnect coupling



Aug' 11, 1953 c. B. LNERs ET AL 2,648,552

RETAINER MECHANISM FOR QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING Filed Aug. 3. 1949 INVENTORS 1... I f AND C. A. A. MEDDOCK ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1953 RETAINER MECHANISM FOR QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING Carlos B. Livers, North Hollywood, and Alvin A. Meddock, Van Nuys, Calif., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation poration of Delaware South Bend, Ind., a cor- Application August 3, 1949, Serial No. 108,294

3 Claims.

This invention relates to quick disconnect couplings for use particularly in flexible line or hose connections in which two fittings are in fluid coupling relation with each other when pressed firmly together, the present invention residing in particular in the mechanism for holding such fittings together.

An object of the invention is to provide a coupling mechanism of the type referred to that can be readily manipulated to force the fittings together and retain them in that position, and can also be readily manipulated to disengage the fittings when it is desired to break the connection.

Another object is to provide a retaining mechanism of the type referred to that is inexpensive, substantially incapable of getting out of order, and rugged in nature, so that it is capable of withstanding rough handling.

Other more specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the description to follow of a particular embodiment thereof with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing an automatically releasable coupling incorporating the invention, in a hydraulic hose line extending between a tractor and a drawn plow.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a coupling incorporating the invention, in coupled position.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking at the right end of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the retaining mechanism in open position and the coupling fittings separated.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in the plane V-V of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed side elevation showing a mode of mounting the coupling alternative to that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown a tractor I0 drawing a plow I I through a drawbar I'I. The plow is equipped with a hydraulic lift actuated by a hydraulic jack I2, which is actuated by pressure fluid supplied by a pump (not shown) on the tractor I0 through a hose line consisting of a hose I 3 that is permanently connected to the plow II, and a hose I4 that is permanently connected to the tractor I0, the hoses i3 and I4 being interconnected by a quick disconnect coupling I5 in accordancewith the present invention. The coupling I5 is shown mechanically connected to the plow I I by a cable I 6, and, as will appear later, the arrangement is such that if the drawbar connection I'I between the plow and the tractor is broken, and the latter moved away from 2 the plow, the resulting tension applied to the coupling I 5 by the cable I 0 and the hose I4 causes the couping to disconnect.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the coupling I5 comprises a pair of fittings I3 and I9 which are adapted to be pressed together and maintained together by a retainer mechanism which is the subject matter of this invention. The two ttings I8 and I9 are sealed with respect to each other by a sleeve 20 having a cylindrical inner surface 20a. that slideably fits an external surface |90. on the fitting I9, and the peripheral surfaces of a pair of flanges I8a on the fitting I8. An O ring IBb of rubber-like material, mounted between the anges I8a on the tting I8, seals with the inner surface 20a of the sleeve 20. A similar O ring I9b is mounted in a groove provided therefor in the surface I 9a of the fitting I9, and seals with the inner surface 28a of the sleeve 20.

The fittings I8 and I 9 may be of the type containing valves which are normally closed when the fittings are separated, to prevent fluid leakage from the lines, but which open when the fittings are pressed together to establish fluid connection therebetween. Such a valve is shown in the copending application Serial No. 67,625, filed December 28, 1948, by A. A. Meddock, and the retaining mechanism of the present invention is especially designed for use with fittings as disclosed in said prior application. However, since the present invention resides solely in the retaining mechanism, and the latter is not limited in its used to the condition where the ttings I8 and I9 contain self-closing valves, the latter are not disclosed herein.

The fitting I9 has an enlarged annular head I9c at its rear end to which the hose I3 (Fig. 1) is connected in any known manner. This enlarged shoulder I9c has hingedly secured thereto, by a pair of trunnions 25, a latch 26, so that the latch is capable of swinging about an axis extending transversely of the fitting I 9. The sleeve 2U normally constitutes a part ofthe fitting I8, having an internal shoulder 20h which engages the rearmost annular ange I8a on the tting I8. The latch 26 in turn is adapted to engage the sleeve 20 and hold it in such position with respect to the head I9c that the inner ends of the fittings I 8 and I 9 are pressed together.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and` 4, the latch 26 consists of a channel member having a base 26a and a pair of flanges 26e which extend parallel to each other and are of such width as to receive therebetween the head |90 of the fitting I9, as shown in Fig. 5. At their right ends the flanges 26e carry a pair of cam followers 29 which engage a pair of cam surfaces on the sleeve element 20 in a manner to be described. These cam followers 29 are shown as rollers secured to the inner faces of the flanges 26o by rivets 3D. The heads 30a, of the rivets 3U also retain leaf springs 3l which carry on their other ends detents 32 slideably positioned in apertures 26d in the latch flanges 26o. These detents 32 snap into recesses 20c in the sleeve 20 to yieldably retain the latch in closed position.

Referring to Figs. 3 and lil, the outer surface of the sleeve 2t is generally rectangular in cross section, and has parallel opposite side faces Ziid containing the detent recesses Etc previously referred to. The rear ends of these side faces iid terminate in curved cam surfaces along which the cam followers 29 of the latch move Vduring opening and closing movement of the latch. Each cam has a final portion 32, approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tting I8, against which its associated cam follower 29 rests when the latch is in closed position, and an approach portion 33 over which the follower moves into and out of the final position.

The latch 26 has, extending through the flanges 25o at a point adjacent the base Zta, a pair of apertures 26e adapted-to be engaged with the 'cable l5 of Fig. 1 to apply an opening force to the latch when the coupling is to be broken. These apertures 26e are substantially opposite the trunnions 25 so that in response to tension between the cable IG and the hose Ed (Fig. l), a torque is developed to rotate the latch '25 about the trunnions 25 from the closed position shown in Fig. 2 into the open position shown in Fig. fl.

This opening movement can be facilitated by inclining the cam surface portions 32 so 'that a perpendicular (normal) line 3a (Fig. fi) drawn from this portion of the cam face is displaced approximately 5 degrees from a radius 35 drawn from the axis of the trunnion 25 to the cam portion 32. By virtue of this slight displacement of the normal (the line 3d) of the cam portion 32 from the radius 35, normal separating force between the fittings IB and i9 produced by pressure fluid therewithin produces a slight opening force component on the latch 2S. However, this component is readily overcome and controlled by the resistance to opening offered by the spring detents 32 when the latch is in fully closed position. Tension applied to the apertures ttc with respect to the fitting I8 readily overcomes the holding resistance afforded by the detents 32', and after the detents have released, the latch snaps quickly into the open position shown in Fig. 4, this opening being aided by the pressure force between the fittings acting, through the approach portion of the cam 33, against the cam followers 29.

As is clearly apparent from inspection of Fig. 4, the approach portions 33 have relatively sharp curvature, so that the two fittings I8 and i9 move apart as the followers 29 move off these portions. Contrariwise, connection of the coupling, even with some pressure within the fittings, can be readily accomplished by forcing the latch 26 into closed position and thereby causing the followers 29 to cam the fittings together as they move over the approach portions 33 into the final portions 32 of the cam.

Various ways can be employed of so anchoringk the latch 26 at the apertures 26e as to release the coupling in response to tension between 4 the tting I8 and the latch. One alternative method is illustrated in Fig. 6 in which the latch is secured to an upright iii on the plow by means of a bolt 4l extended through the apertures 26e in the latch and the cooperating aperture in the upright fi. lThe bolt lil is not tightened sufficiently to prevent the latch from rotating freely thereabout. When tension is applied to the hose lll, the coupling is disconnected 4in the manner already described.

Although for the purpose of explaining the invention, a particular embodiment thereof has been shown and described, obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art, and I do not desire to be limited to the exact details shown and described.

We claim:

1. In a coupling comprising a pair of fluid conducting fittings adapted to complete a fiuid fiow path therebetween when pressed together, means for detachably securing said fittings together comprising: a pair of latch-engaging shoulders on opposite sides of one fitting facing away from the other fitting; a latch hingedly secured to said other fitting for swinging movement about a hinge axis extending transversely of the fitting and having a pair of shoulder-engaging elements adapted to engage and ride along said shoulders during such swinging movement; said shoulders being of substantial length relative to said elements that ride therealong, and each shoulder having a final portion on which one of said elements rests in fully latched position, and an approach portion over which said element rides during swinging movement of the latch into and out of fully latched position, said final portion being in approximately longitudinal alignment with said latch axis and approximately tangent to a radius therefrom to said axis, said shoulder being progressivelg,7 increasingly spaced from said axis along said approach portion t0 said final portion whereby movement of said latch into fully latched position continually draws said fittings together, and detent means independent of said shoulder and said latch elements for yieldably retaining said latch on said final portion of said shoulder; said latch comprising a pair of parallel wall members on opposite sides of said other fittings; said shoulder-engaging elements comprising rollers on the inner sides of said wall members; roller-supporting rivets extending through said wall inembers and having heads on the outside of said members; and said detent means comprising an aperture in one of said wall members, a detent slidable in said aperture, a recess in said one fitting aligned with said detent in fully latched position of said latch, and a leaf spring anchored at one end to said one wall member by the rivet in that member, the other end of said leaf spring engaging said detent and urging it inwardly to yieldably engage it in said recess.

2. In a coupling comprising a pair of fluid conducting fittings adapted to complete a fluid flow path therebetween when pressed together, means for detaohably securing said fittings together comprising; a pair of latch-engaging shoulders on opposite sides of one tting facing away from the other fitting; a latch hingedly secured to said cther fitting for swinging movement about a hinge axis extending transversely of the fitting and having a pair of shoulder-engaging elements adapted to engage and ride along said shoulders during such swinging movement; said shoulders being of substantial length relative to said elements that ride therealong, and each shoulder having a final portion on which one of said elements rests in latched position, and an approach portion over which said element rides during swinging movement of the latch into and out of latched position, said final portion being in approximately longitudinal alignment with said latch axis and approximately tangent to a radius therefrom to said axis, said shoulders being progressively increasingly spaced from said axis along said approach portion to and in said final portion whereby movement of said latch into latched position continually draws said fittings together; and detent means independent of said shoulders and said latch elements for yieldably retaining said latch in said latched position, said detent means being constituted by portions of said one fitting and said latch respectively which portions have surfaces perpendicular to said hinge axis and closely spaced in juxtaposed relation to each other in said latched position, one of said portions having an aperture therein; a detent element positioned in said aperture and guided thereby for movement parallel to said hinge axis toward and away from said other portion; said other portion having a recess juxtaposed to said detent element in said 25 latched position; and spring means urging said detent element in projecting relation from said aperture into said recess; at least said recess or @a the part of said detent element projecting thereinto having a surface so angularly disposed as to cam said detent element out of said recess against the force of said spring means in response to movement of said latch out of latched position.

3. A coupling according to claim 2 in which said nal portion of said shoulder is slightly inclined from said tangent in the same direction that the approach portion is inclined.

CARLOS B. LIVERS.

ALVIN A. MEDDOCK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 810,584 Sutton Jan. 23, 1906 996,079 Greenlund June 27, 1911 1,148,913 McClellan Aug- 3, 1915 1,481,392 Schawrow Jan. 22, 1924 1,482,722 Armstrong Feb. 5, 1924 1,926,949 Kennedy Sept. 12, 1933 2,221,492 `Sawyer Nov. 12, 1940 2,494,774 Messick Jan. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 692,800 Germany June 27, 1940 

